Down The Garden Path Podcast

In the second episode of Down the Garden Path's "Houseplant Chat" series, Joanne focuses on soil and watering techniques during the winter months.
Topics discussed:
Joanne emphasizes the vital role that soil plays in the health of our houseplants.
Steer clear of potting soils with added fertilizers or unnecessary ingredients, as houseplants generally do not require fertilization during this period.
Instead, opt for a basic, nutrient-rich potting mix that supports healthy growth without overwhelming your plants.
For those with existing plants, it's essential to check if they need repotting. Signs include roots sticking up in the pot, visible roots at the bottom, or soil that dries out quickly after watering.
When repotting, Joanne suggests using a pot that is one size larger than the current one, as jumping too many sizes can lead to overwatering issues.
The pot-in-pot method is a practical solution for those who struggle with overwatering. By placing a smaller, drainage-friendly pot inside a decorative pot, you can monitor how much water your plant is receiving. If water collects in the bottom, simply remove the inner pot, dump any excess water, and replace it. This method not only protects your plants but also prevents them from sitting in standing water, which can lead to root rot.
Joanne shares her experience as a chronic overwaterer, noting that it's common to either neglect plants or drown them with too much water.
She advises checking the soil moisture before watering, suggesting using a water meter for peace of mind.
Takeaways and Tips:
Assess whether your plants need repotting based on visible root growth and soil absorption.
Consider using the pot-in-pot method to prevent overwatering and maintain healthy roots.
Use a water meter to accurately gauge soil moisture before watering.
Choose a quality potting soil without excess additives, especially in winter.
Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?
Email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca
Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.
Down the Garden Path Podcast
On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 
In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.
Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week, Joanne kicks off the 12th season of the Down the Garden Path podcast with the first episode in her "Houseplant Chat" series: Getting the Light Right.
Tune in to learn how to keep your houseplants happy when winter light disappears.
Topics discussed:
Joanne emphasizes the importance of light for houseplants, especially in January, and shares practical tips for ensuring plants receive adequate light.
She discusses her personal experiences with moving plants around her home to optimize their light exposure and highlights specific plants that thrive in low-light conditions, such as the ZZ plant and snake plant.
Joanne addresses the importance of keeping plant leaves clean to enhance light absorption, suggesting simple methods for dusting leaves.
She introduces the concept of grow lights, explaining how modern options have evolved to be more aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly, often featuring timers for convenience.
Takeaways and Tips:
Consider the light your plants are getting during winter.
Moving plants around can help them get more light.
Dusting leaves improves light absorption for better health.
Grow lights have evolved to be more user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.
Using a timer for grow lights simplifies plant care.
Have a topic you'd like Joanne to discuss?
Email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect with Joanne on her website: down2earth.ca
Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.
Down the Garden Path Podcast
On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 
In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.
Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week, Joanne welcomes horticulturist Stephen Biggs back to the podcast to talk about his latest project, the newly expanded Canada Gardener's Journal.
About Steven  
Steven was recognized by Garden Making magazine as one of the "green gang" making a difference in Canadian horticulture. His home-garden experiments span driveway straw-bale gardens, a rooftop kitchen garden, fruit plantings, and an edible-themed front yard. He's a horticulturist, award-winning broadcaster and author, and former horticulture instructor with George Brown and Durham Colleges in Ontario, Canada. His other books include Grow Olives Where You Think You Can't, Grow Lemons Where You Think You Can't, Growing Figs in Cold Climates, Grow Figs Where You Think You Can't, and No-Guff Gardening, available at foodgardenlife.com.
Tune in to learn more about Canada Gardener's Journal.
Origins of the Gardener's Journal
Started 34 years ago by Margaret Bennett Alder
Inspired by her father's paper booklets he used to manage tasks and meds
Margaret used the format to track garden tasks, neat plant sources, and observations
First year: ~50 copies printed; grew to 500 the next year
By the 25th edition (2017), and her retirement at age 90, over 18,000 copies sold
Margaret passed away at 98; the journal is part of her gardening legacy
Evolution of the Journal
Originally the Toronto Gardener's Journal, then the Toronto & Golden Horseshoe Gardener's Journal
Taken over by Helen and Sarah Battersby (TorontoGardens.com), who expanded its geographic scope and won awards
Now passed to Stephen, who has turned it into Canada's Gardener's Journal
What's New in Canada's Gardener's Journal
Now Canada-wide and bilingual, with information relevant across the country
Includes average first and last frost dates using the most recent Environment Canada data
Expanded sources list featuring Canadian suppliers that ship across the country (seeds, nursery stock, etc.)
Ongoing plan to update sources as new nurseries and seed companies are suggested
From Toronto-specific to Seasonal Tasks
Old version: weekly tasks tied to the Toronto area and similar zones
New version: season-based task lists (spring, summer, fall, winter) Includes outdoor tasks and indoor prep (seed starting, planning, etc.)

Better suited to different climates and zones across Canada (and similar U.S. regions)
Perpetual Calendar Format
Previously: a dated, year-specific planner (e.g., 2024, 2025) with fixed calendar weeks
Now: a perpetual, undated week-by-week layout Gardeners can start using it at any point in the year
Can stretch use over more than one year if desired
Focuses on periods of active gardening rather than wasting pages in off-months

Practical, Hands-On Focus
Designed by a gardener for gardeners—light on theory, heavy on practical prompts
Space for gardeners to record:
What they planted and when
Weather patterns and unusual seasons
Successes, failures, and plant sources
Acts as both a planner and a historical record for future decision-making
Why Garden Journaling Matters 
Memory is unreliable: gardeners quickly forget how wet/cool or hot/dry a season actually was
Notes and photos together help explain: Why certain plants thrived or struggled
How changing climate and shifting zones affect timing and plant choices

Useful for: Answering client questions (for designers like Joanne)
Tracking long-term trends in weather and performance
Diagnosing issues (e.g., why tomatoes didn't ripen as usual)

Climate Change & Updated Data
Growing zones and frost patterns are shifting with climate change
The journal uses the latest Environment Canada frost-date data
Stephen expects ongoing updates in future editions as data and climate continue to change
Honouring Founder Margaret Bennett Alder
Margaret was passionate about a plant-based diet, which she linked to her longevity
The journal has long included pages of her favourite plant-based resources
Stephen has expanded this section with new Canadian sources in her honour
Availability & Price
Price: $19.95 – positioned as an affordable gift or stocking stuffer
Available via foodgardenlife.com under the books section
Some specialty garden retailers carry it; retailers are listed on the website
Stephen encourages buyers (especially Christmas shoppers) to email him via the site if they're unsure about shipping timelines
Although now truly Canada-wide, gardeners in northern U.S. border states with similar zones may also find it very useful
Check out Stephen's books and Canada's Gardener's Journal on foodgardenlife.com. You can also find @foodgardenlife on YouTube.
Resources Mentioned in the Show:
Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden
Are you a landscape or gardening expert?
We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more.
Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.
Down the Garden Path Podcast
On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 
In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon. Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on the podcast, Joanne discusses soil testing with The Hobby Homestead's Amy Ellard-Gray, who grows 75% of her family's fruits and vegetables in her Guelph backyard. 
About Amy
Amy runs The Hobby Homestead in suburban Guelph, where she cultivates over 100 varieties of native plants to support the local ecosystem. Through her YouTube channel, Instagram, website, and in-person consultations, she helps people design and troubleshoot their own food-growing spaces. Her mantra, "growing food in harmony with nature," guides everything she does, from tending soil life to welcoming wildlife into the garden.
Topics discussed in this episode:
"How much compost is too much?"
Amy questioned the popular "just pile on compost" / no-dig approach (e.g., growing directly in municipal compost).
After consulting an agronomist, she learned you can overdo compost, especially because compost often has high soluble salts that can stress plants.
General rule of thumb from the agronomist: for established beds, about ½ inch (1 cm) of compost as a top-dressing per year is usually enough, but every garden is different.
Why test compost and soil?
Amy now plans to lab-test her own compost (about $20) for salts and nutrients before using it widely.
Lab tests are often similar in price to store-bought kits and usually include a quick consult to interpret results.
Soil tests are especially valuable for: New builds or new-to-you properties.
High-value plants (e.g., Japanese maples, fruit trees).
Chronic problem areas like failing lawns or veggie beds.

Home test kits vs lab tests
Simple garden-center test kits can be unreliable, especially if old or poorly stored.
Nitrogen is hard to test accurately because it changes quickly in the soil; even lab reports often base nitrogen recommendations on plant symptoms, not just numbers.
Labs can tailor tests to what you're growing (lawn, ornamentals, vegetables, etc.).
pH: the quiet troublemaker
Amy's big lesson: pH controls nutrient availability. Low pH can lock up phosphorus.
High pH (common in parts of Ontario) ties up iron, manganese, and zinc.

Just adding fertilizer won't help if pH is off and plants can't actually access those nutrients.
Raising pH with lime is relatively straightforward; lowering pH (for blueberries/azaleas) is hard, requires repeated sulfur, and soil tends to drift back—Amy has nearly given up on blueberries because of this.
Choosing soil: bulk vs bags, municipal compost
Amy strongly prefers high-quality bulk triple mix from a trusted supplier (often with nutrient analysis available).
She's wary of: Bagged soil/compost of unknown origin, age, and quality.
Municipal compost giveaways, due to uncertain inputs (treated lawns, herbicides, diseased plants) and inconsistent processing.

Leftover bulk soil gets used in pots, extra beds, or stored for future top-ups—she never feels like she has "too much soil."
Building and maintaining soil in raised beds & pots
Raised beds: start with good triple mix, then top up yearly with a thin layer of compost and mulch (leaves, straw, chop-and-drop).
Containers: use potting mix or triple mix plus perlite for drainage; reuse soil but amend and top up rather than dumping it every year.
She only uses extra fertilizer (like fish emulsion) when pushing density in containers (e.g., many beets in a small pot).
Rotation, disease, and "messy" gardens
Classic crop rotation is more critical at farm scale; in small backyards, many diseases are airborne, so simply shifting crops a few feet often doesn't prevent them.
Rotation still matters for certain soil-borne diseases (Amy rotated tomatoes after Alternaria collar rot), but it's not the magic solution some make it out to be.
Leaving more plant material, leaves, and roots in place supports soil life and natural pest-predator balance, instead of resetting everything with a "clean" fall garden.
Amy's message for gardeners
Shift your mindset from "feeding the plants" to "feeding the soil."
Healthy, living soil is what ultimately feeds healthy, productive plants.
Find The Hobby Homestead at www.thehobbyhomestead.com and on Instagram and YouTube.
Resources Mentioned in the Show:
Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden
Are you a landscape or gardening expert?
We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more. 
Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.
Down the Garden Path Podcast
On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 
In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.
Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can also catch the podcast on YouTube.

This week on Down the Garden Path, Joanne shares her passion for indoor gardening with practical winter houseplant care tips and a reminder that there's always something new to learn and grow.
Topics discussed:
1. From Annuals to Houseplants
It's time to turn your attention to houseplants as gardening shifts indoors.
Don't rush out to buy new plants: friends and family often have extras or cuttings to share.
2. Winter Care Basics
During shorter days and lower light levels, houseplants slow down their growth.
Do not fertilize in winter; they're not actively growing.
Keep watering moderately: it's better to underwater than overwater.
Use a moisture meter or finger test to check the soil before watering.
3. Refresh and Repot
Check plants for dryness, dust, or signs they've outgrown their pots.
Wipe dusty leaves with a damp cloth to help them absorb light.
Consider repotting if roots are showing through the drainage holes.
Use potting soil, not garden soil, and choose soil types suited to plant varieties (succulents, orchids, etc.).
Avoid decorative pots without drainage for valuable plants.
4. Easy Propagation and Gift Ideas
Take cuttings from plants like pothos, philodendron, and peperomia.
Start them in water using clear containers to monitor root growth.
Plant swaps are a fun and inexpensive way to expand your collection.
Propagated plants make meaningful, affordable holiday gifts.
5. Learning and Experimenting
Joanne shares her experiences with low-maintenance plants (snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos).
Recently inspired to try more demanding varieties like Alocasia.
Discusses challenges like insect issues and learning about proper soil mixes.
6. The Joy and Benefits of Houseplants
Houseplants add life, colour, and calm to indoor spaces during the winter.
Handling soil can improve mood and mental health.
Every room benefits from having at least one plant.
Notes the outdated NASA air-purifying study—plants don't clean air significantly but do add humidity and beauty.
Resources Mentioned in the Show: Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden
Have a topic you'd like me to discuss?
Email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect with me on my website: down2earth.ca
Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast.
Down the Garden Path Podcast
On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible. 
In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide.
Get your copy today on Amazon.
Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.